Ice-cutting apparatus.



w. T. WEAVER & G. L. BEARD;

ICE CUTTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1908.

1,030,624; Patented June 25, 1912.

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W. T. WEAVER & G. L. BEARD.

10E CUTTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1908.

COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPH 00.. WASHINGTON, D. C

W. T. WEAVER & G. L. BEARD.

ICE CUTTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1008. 1,030,624. Patented June 25, 1912.

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ICE CUTTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 23, 190B.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER T. WEAVER, OF ALEXANDRIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND GEORGE L. BEARD,OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ICE-CUTTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 23, 1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Serial No. 444,944.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, VALTER T. WEAVER, residing in the county ofAlexandria and State of Virginia, and Gnoncn L. BEARD, residing inWashington, in the District of Columbia, citizens of the United States,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-CuttinApparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

In the process of making plate-ice the water is frozen into sheets orplates of ice which, in a general way, have a length of twenty feet, awidth of ten feet, a thickness of one foot, and weigh about five tonseach. Before these plates or sheets can be handled for storing purposesor by the dealers, they must be out into blocks of an average weight ofabout three hundred pounds.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cutting apparatusfor dividing the plates into the smaller blocks.

The invention relates to improvements in ice-cutting machines which areemployed to reduce ice-plates to cakes of a suitable size for handlingand storing and more particularly in those machines in which the cuttingis done by a heated blade. In such previous machines'the heated blade isfirst presented to the upper surface of the ice-plate and the cut madedownward, thereby forming a kerf open at the top and closed at thebottom. In such a kerf the heated water produced by the melting of theice remains and melts the adjacent ice, which not only causes waste butalso the sides of the 'kerf are rough and irregular so that theresulting cakes have uneven edges that prevent the proper handling andstoring of the same.

In the invention in the present instance the heatedblade is presented tothe under side of the ice-plate and the cut is made upward, whichproduces a kerf that is open at the bottom and closed at the top. Such akerf permits the heated water readily to escape and there can be nounnecessary melting of the adjacent ice. Consequently there is no wasteand the sides of the kerf are smooth and the resulting cakes" have evenedges, which greatly facilitates the handlin and storing of the same Inthe present invention a plurality of independently movable blades aremounted in the table on which the ice-plate is placed to be cut. Eachblade is provided with an individual mechanism for forcing it upwardlyfrom the table through the ice-plate. In its upward movement each bladeacts independently of the other blades; and if for a reason one of theblades should be checked in its upward movement the stopping of thisparticular blade'would in no way interfere with the upward movement ofthe other blades. A mechanism common to all of the blades operates toreturn them simultaneously to their initial position below the topsurface of the table.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view on the line1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of theapparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig.

4 is a detail sectional view showing one of the movable slats wedged up.Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the slat loose. Fig. 6 is a detailsectional view showing an end. of one of the cutting-blades. Figs. 7 8and 9 are detail views showing the winding mechanism for raising theblades. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view showing one of the guidesfor one of the blade-standards.

The table 1, which supports the ice-plate during the cutting operation,is carried by the segmental frames 2 mounted on the shaft 3 journaled atits ends in bearings (not shown) located in the walls of the table-pit.On the lower edges of the segmental frames are the gear-teeth 4tconcentric with the shaft 3. Meshing with the gear-teeth are the pinions5 on the shaft 6, which is rotated by the pulley 7 driven by anysuitable power. By rotating the pinions the table can be turned to anydesired inclination to receive the ice-plate. On one edge of the tableare the posts 8 against which the ice-plate rests when the table is inan inclined position.

Extending transversely of the table 1 are the fixed slats 9 spacedapartwith the movable slats between them. At the ends of the movableslats adjacent to the posts 8 are the fixed wedges 11 and at theopposite ends of the slats are the movable wedges 12. By 5 means ofthese wedges the movable slats can be adjusted to accommodate theice-plate. To the ends of the movable slats adjacent to the movablewedges are the hinged hooks 13 to engage the edge of the table to holdthe slats in place while the table is tilted.

At intervals across the table extend the ice-cutting blades 14: mountedon the upper ends-of the standards 15 connected at their lower ends bythe cross-pieces 16. As the 15 ed e and back of'the blade are formed ofditlerent metals that expand unequally on application of heat, the bladebows slightly when heated. To allow the bowing of the blade thecrosspiece has a sliding connection 17 with one of the standards. Thestandards are movable in the guides 18 secured to the table. Theseguides are open on one side to give free movement to the I standards andto prevent binding therein.

Each ice-cutting blade comprises the iron back 19 and the copper tubes20 extending along its edge. The inner ends of the tubes, as at 21, areturned downwardly and extend along opposite sides of the arm 22projecting from the under edge of the back. To the lower ends of thetubes 21 is connected an end of the flexible pipe 23 leading from asource of heated fluid under pressure, preferably steam. The pipe 23 iscontrolled by the valve 23. The pipe is secured to the crosspiece 16, asat '24:, and is thereby held in place. The pipe is of sufficient lengthto accommodate the movement of the table when the latter is tilted andalso to accommodate the movement of the blade upward from the table.

Means are provided for raising and lowering the ice-cutting bladesrelative to the table. Beneath the table and extending longitudinally ofthe same is the shaft 25 journaled in bearings 26 on the segmentalframes 2. On this shaft are the loose pulleys 27 one for each blade.Each pulley has in its periphery three grooves respectively carry- 50ing the chains 28, 29, 30, each being fastened at'its inner end to thepulley. The outer end of the chain 28 passes over "the roll 31 attachedto the underside of the table and is securedv to one end of thecross-piece 16; the

7 outer end of the chain 29 is secured to the to give the weight'agreater leverage. The

i on the table.

purpose of the weight is to unwind its chain to rotate the pulley towind the other two chains to raise the cutting-blade. The upwardmovement of the blade is regulated by the adjustable stop 33 on one ofthe standards 15 engaging the guide 18 above. Adjacent tov each pulleyis the clutch or sleeve 34 fixed on the shaft 25. On the sleeve is thelug 35 to engage the lug 36 on the pulley. By rotating the shaft 25 byturning down the lever 37 on its end the sleeves are turned so that thelugs 35 and 36 engage to turn the pulley to wind the chain 30 and tounwind the chains 28, 29, thereby lowering the cutting-blade. itsdownward position by the catch 38 pivoted to the table.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: By means of the turningmechanism the table is tilted to a vertical position, or nearly so, withthe side having the posts 8 downward. Before the table is tilted thehooks 13 are turned to engage the adjacent edge of the table to hold themovable slats 10 in place. After the table is tilted the suspendedice-plate is moved against the table with the lower edge resting on thepost 8. After the ice-plate is released from the crane the table isturned to its horizontal position. As ice-plates do not have a uniformthickness they'do not lie evenly Should an attempt be made to out theice the plate would crack in clifferent directions and irregular pieceswould result. To avoid this, the hooks 13 are released from the edge ofthe table and the movable wedges 12 are driven beneath the ends of themovable slats 10, which in turn are driven upon the fixed wedges 11 attheir opposite ends. The slats are wedged until they bear against theunder side of the iceplate and as there is a number of them the weightof the iceplate is evenly distributed on its support so that there willbe no strain in any particular part. Consequently there will be noaccidental cracking of the iceplate during the cutting operation. Intheir inoperative positions the cutting-blades 1 1 are depressed so asto be below the top of the table. While in this position the chains 28,29 are unwound from their respective pulleys while the chains 30 arewound thereon. The pulleys are held by the sleeves 34' and the engaginglugs so that the weights 32 cannot operate to turn them as shown in Fig.7. The shaft 25 is turned to release the weights by disengagingthe lugsof the sleeves and pulleys as shown in Fig. 8. The weights beingreleased, by the unwinding of their chains they rotate the pulleys towind thereon the chains 28, 29, which forces their respective bladesupward against the under side of the ice-plate. Steam or other heatedfluid under pressure is admitted to all of the tubes 20 0f the blades byopening the valves The lever is secured in the ice melts a kerf is cutin the under side of the plate, which deepens until it extends all theway through. As the kerf is open at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 8, theheated water readily escapes. Consequently the water cannot further meltthe ice and the sides of the kerf will be even and smooth all the waythrough and its width will be no greater than the blade. By cutting theice in this way the resulting cakes will have even smooth edges and canbe stored and handled to the best advantage. The escape of the waterfrom the kerf not only prevents unnecessary melting, but conserves theheat of the blade. Should the water remain in the kerf it would extractheat from the blade which otherwise would aid in melting the ice inadvance of the blade. After the blade has passed through the ice-plateits upward movement is limited by the stop 38 engaging the guide 18.This stop can be adjusted according to the thickness of the ice-plate.The blades in their upward movement through the ice-plate actindependently of each other so that the rate of progress of one, whichis controlled by the density and thickness of the ice at that point andthe distance of the blade from the supply of heated fluid, will noteffect the operation of any of the other blades. Also the weight gives ayielding pressure to the blade permitting the latter to follow the kerfas it is made. Should an obstruction, such as. a chip, be frozen in theice in the path of travel of the blade, the latter will stop withoutinjury to the apparatus or interfering in any way with the operation ofthe other blades. After all the blades have cut through the ice-platethe heated fluid is cut off and the blades are returned to theiroriginal positions below the top of the table. This is done by turningthe shaft 25 so that the lugs of the sleeves 34 engage the lugs of thepulleys 27. The latter are rotated so as to wind thereon the chainscarrying the weights 32 and to unwind the chains connected with thecross-pieces 16, which permits the blades to drop by gravity to theiroriginal positions. The cakes into which the ice-platehas been out arethen removed from the table and stored in the usual manner.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters- Patent is,

1. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a blade movably mounted in the tilting table, mechanism formoving the blade upwardly from the tilting table to force the bladeupwardly through the ice-plate supported on the table, and means forconducting a heating medium to the blade operating to accommodate thetilting of the table and also the movement of the blade upward from thetable.

2. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a hollow blade movably mounted in the tilting table,mechanism for moving the hollow blade upwardly from the tilting table toforce the blade upwardly through the ice-plate supported on the table,and means for supply ing a heating fluid to the hollow blade operatingto accommodate the tilting of the table and also the movement of theblade upward from the table.

3. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a blade movably mounted in the tilting table, yieldingmechanism carried by the tilting table for moving the blade upwardlyfrom the tilting table to force the blade upwardly through the ice-platesupported on the table, and yielding means for conducting a heatingmedium to the blade operating to accommodate the tilting of thetable andalso the movement of the blade upward from the table.

1. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theiceplate, a hollow blade movably mounted in the tilting table, mechanismfor moving the hollow blade upwardly from the tilting table to force theblade upwardly through the ice-plate supported on the tilting table, andyielding means for supplying a heat-ing fluid to the hollow bladeoperating to accommodate the tilting of the table and also the movementof the blade upwardly from the table.

5. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a blade movably mounted in the tilting table, means forconducting a heating medium to the blade, and yielding mechanism formoving the blade upwardly from the tilting table to force the bladethrough the ice-plate supported on the tilting table so as to be checkedby an obstruction in the ice meet ing the blade.

6. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a blade movably mounted in the tilting table, means forconducting a heating medium to the blade,

yielding mechanism for moving the blade upwardly from the tilting tableto force the blade through the ice-plate supported on the tilting tableso as to be checked by an obstruction in the ice meeting the blade, andmechanism for returning the blade to its initial position in the tableagainst the action of the yielding mechanism for moving the bladeupwardly from the table.

7. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a plurality of independently operating blades movably mountedin the tilting table, means for conducting a heating medium totheblades, and

mechanism for simultaneously moving the blades upwardly from the tiltingtable to force them upwardly through the ice-plate the ice-plate, andmeans common to all of said raising mechanisms for reversing the actionof the latter to simultaneously lower the blades to their originalpositions.

10. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table, fixed slats on said table,movable slats between said fined slats, and wedges for adjusting saidmovable slats.

11. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table, fixed slats on saidtable, movable slats between said fixed slats, wedges for adj ustingsaid movable slats, and hooks on said movable slats to engage the tablewhen the latter is tilted to hold the movable slats in place.

12. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a plurality of independently operating blades movably,mounted in the tilting table, mechanism for simultaneously moving theblades upwardly from the tilting tableto force them upwardly through theice-plate supported on the tilting table, and yielding means forconducting a heating medium. to the blades operating to'accommodate thetilting of the table and also the movement of the blades from the table.

In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support the ice-plate,a plurality of hollow blades independently operating and movably mountedin the tilting table, means for simultaneously supplying a heating fluidto the hollow blades, and mechanism for simultaneously moving the hollowblades upwardly from the tilting table to. force them through theice-plate supported on the tilting table.

14. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a plurality of hollow blades movably mounted in the tiltingtable, mechanism for simultaneously moving the hollow blades upwardlyfrom the tilting table to force them through the ice-plate supported onthe tilting table, and yielding means for simultaneously supplying aheating fluid to the hollow blades operating to accommodate the tiltingof the table and also the movement of the blades upwardly from thetable.

"and yielding mechanism tor simultaneously moving the blades upwardlyfrom the tilting table to force them through the ice-plate Supported onthe tilting table. I

16. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a plural ity of independently movable blades mounted thetable, means for conducting a heating medium to the blades, mechanismfor simultaneously moving the blades up wardly from the tilting'table toforce them through the ice-plate supported onthe tilt-' ing table, andmechanism for simultaneously returning the blades to their initialposition in the tilting table.

17 In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilt-ing table to support theice-plate, a plurality of independently movable blades mounted in thetable, means for conducting a heating medium to the blades, andindependently operating yielding mechanisms for simultaneously movingthe blades upwardly from. the tilting table through the ice-platesupported on the tilting table.

18. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilt-ing table to support the iceplate, a plurality of independently movable blades mounted in the table,means for conducting a heating medium to the blades, independentlyoperating yielding mechanisms for simultaneously movingthe bladesupwardly from the tilting table through the ice-plate supportedon thetilting table, and controlling means common to all of the yield-ingmechanisms operating to release simultaneously all the yieldingmechanisms preliminary to a cutting operation and said controlling meansalso operating to return simultaneously all the yielding mechanisms totheir initial position after the completion ot a cutting operation.

19. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilttable tosupport the icepla te, aplurality of independentlymovable blades. mounted in the table, meansfor conducting a heating medium to the blades, independently operatingyielding mechanisms for simultaneously moving the blades upwardly fromthe tilting table, and controlling means common to all of the yieldingmechanisms operating to release simultaneously all the yieldingmechanisms preliminary to a cutting operation and said controlling.means also operating to return simultaneously all the yieldingmechanisms to their initial position after the completion of a cuttingoperation.

20. In apparatustfor cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate, aplurality of independently movableablad'es mounted said table, meansforconducting a heating medium to said bladesand an individual acatuating mechanism for each blade for mov ing the blade upwardly from thetable independent of the action of the other blades.

21. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate, aplurality of independently movable blades mounted in said table, meansfor conducting a heating medium to said blades, an individual actuatingmechanism for each blade for moving the blade upwardly from the tableindependent of the action of the other blades, and mechanism common toall of the blades for simultaneously returning them to their initialpositions in the table against the action of their respective actuatingmechanisms 22. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to supportthe ice-plate, a plurality of independently movable blades mounted insaid table, an individual actuating mechanism for each blade for movingthe blade upward from the table independent of the action of the otherblades, and yielding means for conducting a heating medium to the bladesoperating to accommodate the movement of the table and also the movementof the blades relative to the table.

23. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a plurality of independently movable blades mounted in saidtable, an individual actuating mechanism for each blade for moving theblade upwardly from the table independent of the action of the otherblades, mechanism common to all of the blades for simultaneouslyreturning them to their initial positions in the table against theaction of their respective actuating mechanisms, and yielding means forconducting a heating medium to the blades operating to accommodate themovement of the table and also the movement of the blades relative tothe table.

24:. In apparatus for cutting ice, a cutting blade comprising a back,tubes extending along the edge of the back opening at their outer endsat the ends of the back to the atmosphere and at their inner ends turnedinwardly from the edge of the back, and means for supplying heatingfluid communicating with the inner ends of the tubes.

25. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate, acutting blade movably mounted in said table comprising a back, tubesextending along the edge of the back opening at their outer ends at theends of the back to the atmosphere and at their inner ends turnedinwardly from the edge of the back, mechanism for moving the cuttingblades upwardly from the table through the ice plate supported thereon,and a flexible pipe communicating wlth the inner ends of said tubes tosupply a heating fluid to the same and operating to accommodate themovement of the blade relative to the table.

26. In apparatus for cutting ice, a tilting table to support theice-plate, a cutting blade movably mounted in said table comprising aback, tubes extending along the edge of the back opening at their outerends at the ends of the back to the atmosphere and at their inner endsturned inwardly from the edge of the back, yielding means for forcingthe blade upwardly from the tilting table, and a flexible pipecommunicating with the inner ends of said tubes to supply heated fluidthereto operating to accommodate the tilting of the table and also themovement of the blade relative to the table.

27. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate,guides 18 in said table, standards 15 movablein said guides through thetable, a back 19 on the upper ends of said standards extending acrossthe table, tubes 20 on the upper edge of said back, a flexible pipe 23communicating with said tubes for supplying heating fluid thereto, across-piece 16 connecting the lower ends of said standards, andmechanism connected with said cross-piece to force the back and tubesupward from the table.

28. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate,guides 18 in said table, standards 15 movable in said guides through thetable, an iron back 19 on the upper ends of said standards extendingacross the table, copper tubes 20 extending along the upper edge of saidback, a flexible pipe 23 for supplying heating fluid to said tubes, across-piece 16 having a sliding connection, as at 17, with saidstandards to accommodate the bowing of the back and tubes owing to theunequal expansion of the metals forming the back and tubes, andmechanism connected with said cross-piece to force the back and tubesupward from the table.

29. In apparatus for cutting ice, a table to support the ice-plate,guides 18 in said table, standards 15 movable in said guides through thetable, and adjustable stop 33 on one of said standards to regulate theupward movement of such standard, an arm 22 projecting downward from theunder edge of said back through the table, tubes 20 extending along theupper edge of said back open at their outer ends to the atmosphere andwith their inner ends 21 extending downward on opposite sides of the arm22, a crosspiece 16 connecting the lower ends of said standards,mechanism connected with said cross-piece for forcing the back and tubesupward from the table, and a flexible pipe 23 communicating with theinner ends 21 of said tubes to supply heating fluid thereto.

30. A table to support the ice-plate, a hollow cutting blade movable insaid table, a flexible pipe for supplying heating fluid to nected withsaid cutting blade, a second chain wound [on said pulley opposite tothe. first chain, a weight .on the second chain operating to rotate thepulley to wind the first chain thereon to force the cutting Eloladeupward from the .table, .a clutch fast =0n said shaft to engage thepulley, and means for; rotating said shaft to engage said clutchj withthe pulley to rotate the latter to wind the weight chain thereon and tounwind the chain connected with the blade to lower the 1 latter.

31. A table to support the ice-plate, a plui ral-ity of independentlymovable .ih'lades mounted in said table, means for conducting a heatingmedium to said blades, a shaft journaled in said :table, a series ofpulleys looseon said shaft with a pulley adjacent to each blade, .achain wound on each pulley and connected with the adjacent blade, asecond chain wound on each pulley opposite to the szfirst chain, aweight on the second :chain tending to rotate the pulley to wind thefirst chain thereon to raise the adjacent :blade, a clutch fast on saidshaft adjacent to each pulley, and means to rotate said shaft to turnall of the clutches to engage their respective pulleys to rotate thelatter against their weights to wind up the weight E our signatures 1nthe presence of two witnesses.

WALTER T. GEORGE L. BEARD.

WVitnesses:

LILLIAN MAE BENTON, B. A. Bownns.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five .cents each, -byaddressing the Eommissioner -'of Patents, Washington, D. G.

